1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soft pack for cigarettes. The invention also relates to an opening device for opening the soft pack for cigarettes, and a method of making the opening device.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to supply cigarettes in packs which comprise a plurality of wrappers of different materials. Typically, cigarette wrappers are made of a paper/aluminum composite, a paper tape or board, and a film as the outer wrapper. This pack simultaneously fulfills a number of functions required specifically for cigarette packs. These include, inter alia, good water vapor and gas barrier properties which are intended to protect the cigarettes against drying-out and loss of flavor. Also, good handling of the pack is ensured by a special tear-open device.
However, these conventional packs require multistage automatic systems which wrap the cigarettes in the individual layers. This usually involves considerable work and expense, the reduction of which is a constant need. With the advancing development of recyclable packaging systems, there is a growing demand for single-material packs whose recycling is, in principle, simpler. In this respect, the known cigarette packs are greatly in need of improvement.